Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe brings the beloved ’80s property back to the small screen once again, and it’s copying Star Wars‘ success in the process. The show, which shares its name with the 1983 series that saw the character achieve lasting global popularity, is a reimagining of the franchise. It contrasts with the Kevin Smith-helmed series Masters of the Universe: Revelation, which serves as a sequel to the original series, also released on Netflix just a few months before.
The reboot series certainly isn’t Netflix’s only current He-Man property, but it’s already set itself apart in its tone and in its target demographic. The show follows in the footsteps of the iconic original 80s series, but is clearly striking its own path away from its roots. Although it’s still early days, the new series holds an impressive 80% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an equally positive 82% audience rating. Despite its distinctive aesthetic, however, the updated show is certainly doing its best to continue the He-Man legacy.
While many of the franchise’s recent entries have been mostly nostalgia-driven, Netflix’s latest Eternia-based offering reframes the narrative for newcomers. This is actually a move that may seem very familiar to fans of a certain galaxy far, far away. Before Disney took over Lucasfilm and released Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there was Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a film and TV series depicting the titular conflict that occurred between the events of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. This show’s approach to the wider Star Wars franchise has now been mirrored by He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, highlighting a connection between the two and potentially showing how the Star Wars blueprint can best be utilized.
The Clone Wars TV series was one of the few properties to survive in Star Wars‘ canon after Disney’s acquisition, due in part to its stellar reputation. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe has not only made use of a similar CGI style of animation but recycled some of The Clone Wars‘ most marketable aspects. Part of the reason that The Clone Wars remains popular more than a decade after its original release is how well its visuals have aged. By employing an aesthetically distinct style of CGI animation, it visually distinguished itself from previous entries into the franchise and simultaneously allowed for brilliantly realized action sequences. However, The Clone Wars is essential viewing not just because of its sleek visuals and exciting action, but because it brought a whole new demographic to the franchise.
The Clone Wars was able to capture the imagination of a younger generation with its short episodes and its team-based narrative, and its style of animation also helped make the series accessible to a younger audience. This was something that Star Wars hadn’t fully achieved at that point, and it helped ensure that the franchise would remain relevant moving forward. This mirrors one of the He-Man franchise’s biggest issues – its cultural relevance is far from the heights of its ’80s success – and this is yet another approach that He-Man and the Masters of the Universe has borrowed from Star Wars.
While the franchise has always boasted massive cinematic success, some believe that Star Wars’ future lies with its animated shows. This is because they’re so accessible to fans of all ages, ensuring a future beyond the simple draw of nostalgia. Ultimately, for any franchise to thrive, it needs to stay relevant, and in that aspect, Star Wars set the perfect template for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe to follow.
